Midfielder admits Liverpool nightmare

Joe Cole has admitted that his two-and-a-half year stint at Liverpool was a big mistake but insists that he is now happy at Upton Park.

Midfielder Cole rejoined the Hammers in the January transfer window to enjoy his second spell at the club where he started his career.

He moved from Chelsea to Liverpool on a free transfer where he spent two and half years, but conceded that it was the biggest mistake of his career and admitted that he never settled at the Merseyside club, finding it hard to retain any consistent form.

He added that he was forced to move to Liverpool as he couldn’t bring himself to play for Spurs, after they made a £5million offer for him in the summer of 2011.

“I can only play for teams that I’m passionate about and I think that’s what went wrong for me at Liverpool,” he told The Daily Mail.

“I didn’t feel a connection with the club or the place that I had at Chelsea and West Ham.

“I had seven great years at Chelsea but the club wanted to go in a certain direction and I wasn’t involved. So I was left with two real options – Liverpool or Spurs.

“Spurs was probably the best option because they were offering me a five-year deal and it meant I could stay in familiar surroundings.

“But I just couldn’t do it, I just couldn’t see myself pulling that Spurs shirt over my head. With the rivalry between Spurs and West Ham and Chelsea, it felt a bit mercenary.”

Joe Cole only made 16 Premier League appearances for Liverpool before being loaned to French side Lille.